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Insights & Views

Wed, Dec 24, 2025 12:49 AM All times are UTC

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Generative AI is most useful for the things we care about the least

| Insights & Views

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Midjourney can produce text, images and videos far more quickly than any one person can accomplish by hand. But as someone who studies the societal impacts of AI, Ive noticed an...

How early voting on campuses can boost election turnout – not only for students but for residents, too

| Insights & Views

Republican-led legislatures in several U.S. states, from Indiana to Oklahoma, are considering imposing restrictions on early voting, from shortening the number of days to tightening ID requirements for voters. Florida, by...

Trump’s claims of vast presidential powers run up against Article 2 of the Constitution and exceed previous presidents’ power grabs

| Insights & Views

Those who wrote and wrangled over Americas Constitution might be troubled by the second presidency of Donald J. Trump. While almost all modern presidents flex their muscles in the initial stages of their administration,...

500 years ago, German peasants revolted – but their faith that the Protestant Reformation stood for freedom was dashed by Martin Luther and the nobility

| Insights & Views

Five hundred years ago, in the winter of 1524-1525, bands of peasants roamed the German countryside seeking recruits. It was the start of the German Peasants War, the largest uprising in Europe before the French...

Butchers, bakers, candlestick-makers − and prostitutes: The women working behind the scenes in papal Avignon

| Insights & Views

In the medieval church, womens roles were limited usually some form of enclosure and celibacy, such as becoming an anchoress walled up alone for life, or a nun in a classic convent. On the other extreme were a few...

A hazy legal landscape means people can get high on hemp products, even where pot is prohibited

| Insights & Views

In Texas, where I live, marijuana has long been illegal. Yet on a busy street in my Houston neighborhood, at least five stores within a half-mile of each other sell cannabis products that promise a strong high. Texas isnt...

Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting prioritizes ‘real’ independence from the US − but what does that mean and is it achievable?

| Insights & Views

Germanys presumptive new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, faces challenges both at home and overseas following his conservative alliances election victory on Feb. 23, 2025. A strong showing from the hard-right Alternative for...

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Economy

IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement With Egypt, Opening Path to $3.8 Billion in Funding

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that it reached a staff-level agreement with Egypt on the fifth and sixth reviews of the countrys Extended Fund Facility (EFF), a key step that could unlock around $2.5...

RBA Signals Possible Interest Rate Hike in 2026 as Inflation Pressures Persist

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has revealed that its board members discussed the possibility of raising interest rates in 2026, according to the minutes from the central banks December policy meeting. The discussion...

Wall Street Ends Higher as S&P 500, Nasdaq Extend Gains Ahead of Holiday Week

U.S. stock markets closed higher on Monday, extending recent gains as investors look to finish the year on a strong note despite thinning trading volumes in a holiday-shortened week. The SP 500 rose 0.5% by the closing...

Global Markets Rise as Tech Stocks Lead, Yen Strengthens, and Commodities Hit Record Highs

Global financial markets started a holiday-shortened week on a positive note, with most major stock indexes posting gains as technology stocks rebounded and investor sentiment improved. Wall Street was supported by...

Platinum Price Surges Past $2,000 as Demand and Supply Dynamics Tighten

Platinum prices surged sharply at the start of the week, rallying more than 4.6% on Monday to break above the $2,000 per ounce level for the first time since 2008. The move marks a 17-year high for the precious metal and...

Politics

Trump Administration Recalls Nearly 30 U.S. Ambassadors in Push for “America First” Agenda

The Trump administration has recalled nearly 30 U.S. ambassadors and senior career diplomats from overseas posts, a move officials say aligns embassies more closely with the presidents America First foreign policy, but...

Australia Moves Toward Tougher Gun Laws After Bondi Shooting

Australias most populous state, New South Wales, is set to introduce significantly tougher gun laws alongside new measures targeting terrorism and public protests, following a deadly mass shooting in Sydneys Bondi area....

Trump Announces Ambitious Plan for New U.S. Navy Super Battleships

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday an ambitious proposal for the United States Navy to begin building a new class of advanced battleships, a move that could significantly reshape the future of American naval...

China’s Nuclear Expansion Raises Arms Control Concerns as Pentagon Report Warns of Growing Military Ambitions

China is rapidly expanding and modernizing its nuclear weapons arsenal, with a draft Pentagon report warning that Beijing may have loaded more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) across three newly...

Kremlin Downplays U.S.-Russia Talks on Ukraine as Ongoing Process

Russia has played down expectations surrounding recent discussions with the United States on the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing that the talks should not be interpreted as a major diplomatic breakthrough. Kremlin spokesman...

Science

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Achieves Breakthrough Success With First NASA Mission

Blue Origins massive New Glenn rocket marked a major milestone as it completed its first mission for paying customers, sending two NASA satellites toward Mars and successfully landing its reusable booster at sea. The...

Cogent Biosciences Soars 120% on Breakthrough Phase 3 Results for Bezuclastinib in GIST Treatment

Cogent Biosciences (NASDAQ: COGT) shares skyrocketed over 120% after the biotech company announced groundbreaking results from its Phase 3 PEAK trial evaluating bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib for patients with...

Technology

FTC Praises Instacart for Ending AI Pricing Tests After $60M Settlement

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has welcomed Instacarts decision to end its artificial intelligence-based price testing, a move that follows weeks of consumer backlash and regulatory scrutiny. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson...

John Carreyrou Sues Major AI Firms Over Alleged Copyrighted Book Use in AI Training

Investigative journalist John Carreyrou, widely known for exposing fraud at Silicon Valley blood-testing startup Theranos and for authoring the bestselling book Bad Blood, has filed a new copyright infringement lawsuit...

Italy Fines Apple €98.6 Million Over App Store Dominance

Italys competition authority has imposed a 98.6 million ($115.53 million) fine on U.S. technology giant Apple and two of its subsidiaries, citing alleged abuse of a dominant market position related to the distribution of...

Moore Threads Unveils New GPUs, Fuels Optimism Around China’s AI Chip Ambitions

Moore Threads Technology Co Ltd (SS:688795), often described as Chinas potential alternative to NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), attracted investor attention after unveiling a new lineup of graphics processing units at...

U.S. Lawmakers Urge Pentagon to Blacklist More Chinese Tech Firms Over Military Ties

A group of nine Republican U.S. lawmakers has formally urged the Pentagon to expand its list of Chinese companies accused of supporting Chinas military, intensifying scrutiny of Beijing-linked technology firms amid rising...